Hair treating device

ABSTRACT

A hair treating device for roughing or teasing hair to give it fullness which includes a body having movable inwardly facing comb members thereon which comb members are actuated toward one another by cam means readily manipulatable by the user. The comb members are biased apart from one another to permit release of the hair.

United States Patent [721 lnventor Guy Avella 7975 Nordica, Niles, 1111.60648 [21] Appl. No. 853,369 [22 Filed Aug. 27, 1969 [45] Patented Sept.7,1971

[54] HAIR TREATING DEV11CE 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.5. CI 132/131, 132/11,132/139 [51 Int. C1 A45d 24/04 [50} Fieldof Search 132/11, 126,128-129,131133,9,139

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,103 12/1914 Graber132/]29X 1,365,079 1/1921 Bardsley 132/132 1,853,828 4/1932 Mani 132/1322,528,291 10/1950 Winston 132/129 3,409,029 11/1968 Kumpa 132/133Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-J N, EskovitzAttorney-Mobinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff ABSTRACT: A hairtreating device for roughing or teasing hair to give it fullness whichincludes a body having m0vab1e inwardly facing comb members thereonwhich comb members are actuated toward one another by cam means readilymanipulatable by the user, The comb members are biased apart from oneanother to permit release of the hair.

PATENTEDSEP mm 3.603, 323

sum 1 or 2 22 INVENTOR. 00 AVELLA ATTORNEYS HAIR TREATING DEVICEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION user will result in roughing or teasing ofthe hair to give it fullncss so that it can be retained in a positionaway from the head in a desired manner, thus giving a finished hairdowhich is houffant in appearance. The tool utilized to effectuate theroughing of teasing is a common comb member, which essentially worksonly upon side ofthe strands of hair.

It has been found that if the hair can be grasped or worked uponopposite sides of the strands thereof by a pair of comb members that amore effective and quicker job of roughing or teasing of the hair can beeffected.

Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a novel hairtreating device capable of teasing the hair in a quick and effectivemanner to give it height and fullness.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hair treating devicewhich includes a pair of spaced-apart inwardly facing comb memberssupported on a body for movement toward and away from one another, withcam means on the body for actuating the comb members toward one another,said comb members being biased outwardly away from each other. Otherobjects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Preferred embodiments of the presentinvention are illustrated in the attached drawing wherein like numeralsrefer to like elements and wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of one form of hair teasing deviceembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view ofthe hair treating device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hair treating device takengenerally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the hair treating device with part of the bodyremoved to better illustrate the interior mechanism of the device;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the hair treating device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified hair treating device;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the hair treating device of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an end view of the hair treating device of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTIONReferring now to FIGS. 1-5, there is illustrated a hair treating device10 embodying principles of the present invention. The hair treatingdevice 10 comprises a body or housing 12 which is generally Y-shaped andincludes a handle portion 14 and a pair of spaced-apart arms 16 and 18.The handle portion I4 is formed to permit use of gripping by the user.Movably supported on the body I2 are a pair of inwardly facing combmembers 20, 22 which are adapted to engage with and cooperate with oneanother in use to engage strands of hair of the user therebetween toeffectuate working or teasing of same. Actuating means 24 are providedon the body I2 to move the comb members 20, 22 toward one another intooverlapping engagement for firmly engaging strands of hair therebetween.Resilient means are provided to bias the arms 20, 22 away from oneanother to a position illustrated in FIG. l and FIG. 2, for example.

The body 112 may comprise separate portions affixed to one another bymeans of suitable fastening means, for example, screws or like fasteningmembers 26,27. Body 12 may be made from wood or metal, though it ispreferred that it be formed from plastic.

Turning to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 there is better illustrated the detail ofthe operating mechanism of the hair treating device I0. The combs 20,and 22, are each secured to the ends of a continuous resilient member30, which is so arranged within the body 12 as to bias the comb members20, 22 away from one another. The resilient member 30 includes an end 31adapted to be secured to the comb 2t) and end 32 adapted to be securedto the comb 22 and an intermediate portion which is first looped aboutthe actuating means 24 and is then looped about and secured to a pin orscrew 36 secured within the body 12.

Looking again at FIG. 3, it is seen that the actuating member 24includes a central tapering cam portion 25 which is adapted to operatewithin a loop defined in the resilient support member 30. As shown inFIGS, 3 and 4, the actuating means 24 is in its normal position with thearms 31, 32 of the resilient support member biasing the combs 20 and 22away from one another. The portion of the resilient support member 30looped about the cam portion 25 of the actuating means is in engagementwith the cam. portion so as to retain the actuating means in theposition as shown in FIG. 3, for example. Upon actuation of theactuating means 24 downwardly or inwardly into the recess 13 in thehandle portion 114 of the hair treating device It), the loop will beexpanded so as to cause the arm members 31, 32 to move inwardly, thuscarrying the comb members 20 and 22 inwardly so as to engage the hair ofthe person having their hair teased or roughed. The combs 20 and 22 arebrought into overlapping engagement as seen in FIG. 5 for assuring firmengagement with the hair.

The ends of the arms 16 and 18 of the body 12 may include flangeportions 39 and 40 which protect the end of the combs 20 and 22,respectively and perform a guiding function for the ends of therespective combs 20 and 22, so as to maintain the combs in desiredjuxtaposed relationship when the combs are actuated inwardly as shown inFIG. 5.

In use, the beautician will grasp the hair to be teased and hold sameaway from the head with one hand. The hair treating device will be heldin the other hand, with the combs 20, 22 in the position shown in FIG. 1for example. The device 10 will be brought into position on oppositesides of the hair and the actuating means or cam 24 will be actuated toforce the combs 20, 22 into overlapping position with one another and infirm engagement with the hair. The device is then actuated in onedirection. At the end of the stroke, the actuating means 24 is releasedand the combs 20, 22 are biased apart. Hair retained in the teeth ofcombs 20, 22 will be removed as the combs 2t), 22 move past the inneredges 41, 42 respectively of arms 16, 18 of the body 12. The strokingoperation may then be repeated until the hair has been teased to providethe consistency, fullness and height desired.

Outwardly extending comb teeth 17., I9 may be provided on the arms 16and 18 of body 12 to enhance the utility of device and permit use of thearms as combs where desired.

Turning now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, there is illustrated a modification ofthe present invention. The hair treating device Ill) shown in FIGS. 6, 7and 3 includes a body H2 of generally Y-shaped configuration including ahandle portion 11M and spaced-apart arm portions 116 and 118. It isnoted that the arms 116, 118 are provided with outwardly extending tineswhich in effect provide a pair of outwardly extending combs integralwith the arms 1116, M8.

Movably carried in the body 112 are a pair of inwardly facing combs I20,122 each of which operates within a recess in arms I16, 118,respectively. Actuating means 124 are provided on the body 112 to movethe combs from a housed posi tion within the arms I16 and 118 to anoverlapping position for engaging the hair of the person being workedupon by the beautician.

The body I 12 is preferably molded from plastic, and may be in the formof a pair of similar half members joined to one another in a suitablemanner as, for example, with an epoxy. Body 112 is shaped similar tobody 11.2 except that arms 116, 118 each include upper and lower timesor eornb teeth which receive a movable comb 120, 122 therebetween. Theactuating means 124 may be formed like the actuating means 24 in theembodiments of FIGS. 1-5 and the arms 120, 122 may be mounted foractuation within the body 112 in a manner like the arms 20, 22 aremounted in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5.

The operation of the device of FIGS. 6-8 is the same as that of thedevice of FIGS. 1-5. The hair treating device 110 can be used to roughthe hair by actuating the actuator 124 to move the combs 120, 122 intooverlapping relationship with one another, so as to firmly engage thehair to be roughed. The device is then moved in a single direction,e.g., inwardly towards the head. The actuating means or cam 124 isreleased to permit the combs to move away from one another. The combs120, 122 will be withdrawn into the housing defined by the arms 116 and118 and as the combs 120, 122 move into the recesses in the arms, thehair will be freed from the tines or teeth of the combs. After removalof the hair from the tines of the combs 120, 122 the device 110 can bereadily used to pomp or adjust hairs by means of the combs 117, 119which face outwardly from arms 116, 118.

There has been provided by the present invention a novel hair treatingdevice for roughing or teasing the hair. In its basic form, the deviceincludes a pair of spaced-apart inwardly facing comb members movablymounted on a body, with actuating' means on the body for moving the combmembers into overlapping engagement with one another to firmly engagethe hair of the user. The device comprises few parts and may be readilyassembled and, thus, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. In thehands of a beautician, the novel hair treating device can be readilyemployed for roughing or teasing hard to manage hair and to position thehair as desired for the coiffeur.

While I have shown presently preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied inother forms and, thus, it is intended that the application scope belimited only within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

I. A hair treating device for roughing or teasing hair to give itfullness comprising a body having a handle portion thereon, a pair ofspaced-apart inwardly facing comb members supported on the body formovement toward and away from one another, and means on the body foractuating the comb members, whereby the comb members are movable towardone another to engage the hair to rough same and are movable from oneanother to release the hair, said body being generally Y-shaped with theend of the Y remote from the arms of the Y defining said handle portion,and said arms of the Y having outwardly extending comb teeth thereon.

2. A hair treating device as in claim 1 wherein the actuating meanscomprise cam means on the body.

3. A hair treating device a in claim 2 wherein the comb members are eachsecured to support means on the body which are actuated by the cammeans.

4. A hair treating device as in claim 3 wherein the comb members areactuated into overlapping relationship to engage the hair for workingsame.

5. A hair treating device as in claim 3 wherein the support meanscomprise a resilient member having portions secured to the comb members,the resilient member being actuated by the cam means to move the combmembers toward one another, with the resiliency of the resilient memberbiasing the comb members away from one another.

6. A hair treating device for roughing or teasing hair to give itfullness comprising a body having a handle portion thereon, a pair ofspaced-apart inwardly facing comb members, a resilient member on thebody having portions secured to the comb members for movement of thecomb members toward and away from one another, and means for actuatingthe resilient member, said actuating means including a movable memberhaving a central cam portion engaging said resilient member to move saidcomb members toward one another up on actuation of said movabl e member,and upon release of said movable member, the resiliency of the resilientmember will move said comb members away from one another, said combmembers being movable toward one another by the cam portion intooverlapping relationship to engage the hair to rough same and beingmovable from one another by the resiliency of the resilient member torelease the hair.

7. A hair treating device as in claim 6 wherein the resilient memberincludes a looped portion and the central cam portion of the actuatingmeans is disposed with said looped portion.

1. A hair treating device for roughing or teasing hair to give itfullness comprising a body having a handle portion thereon, a pair ofspaced-apart inwardly facing comb members supported on the body formovement toward and away from one another, and means on the body foractuating the comb members, whereby the comb members are movable towardone another to engage the hair to rough same and are movable from oneanother to release the hair, said body being generally Y-shaped with theend of the Y remote from the arms of the Y defining said handle portion,and said arms of the Y having outwardly extending comb teeth thereon. 2.A hair treating device as in claim 1 wherein the actuating meanscomprise cam means on the body.
 3. A hair treating device a in claim 2wherein the comb members are each secured to support means on the bodywhich are actuated by the cam means.
 4. A hair treating device as inclaim 3 wherein the comb members are actuated into overlappingrelationship to engage the hair for working same.
 5. A hair treatingdevice as in claim 3 Wherein the support means comprise a resilientmember having portions secured to the comb members, the resilient memberbeing actuated by the cam means to move the comb members toward oneanother, with the resiliency of the resilient member biasing the combmembers away from one another.
 6. A hair treating device for roughing orteasing hair to give it fullness comprising a body having a handleportion thereon, a pair of spaced-apart inwardly facing comb members, aresilient member on the body having portions secured to the comb membersfor movement of the comb members toward and away from one another, andmeans for actuating the resilient member, said actuating means includinga movable member having a central cam portion engaging said resilientmember to move said comb members toward one another upon actuation ofsaid movable member, and upon release of said movable member, theresiliency of the resilient member will move said comb members away fromone another, said comb members being movable toward one another by thecam portion into overlapping relationship to engage the hair to roughsame and being movable from one another by the resiliency of theresilient member to release the hair.
 7. A hair treating device as inclaim 6 wherein the resilient member includes a looped portion and thecentral cam portion of the actuating means is disposed with said loopedportion.